Stagecoach Manchester Inspires Women into Transport Initiative

03 May 2018

Following Stagecoach Manchester’s Women in Transport campaign, Manchester College student Kristina Kay, age 19, has decided to conduct her own project about women in the industry.

The campaign, which was designed to encourage more women to apply for roles in the bus industry through a series of open days, came as a result of just over 6% of driver posts being held by females at Stagecoach Manchester as of January 2018.

Following the campaign, Kristina, in the final year of her photography diploma, decided to conduct her own photography project into the subject, after Stagecoach announced the success of the first two open days, in Ashton and Sharston.

Kristina’s project involved speaking to Stagecoach drivers Jo Morgan and Katherine Dawson about their own experiences working within the bus industry, and the study will now be used as her final major project which she has chosen to focus on strong and empowering woman.

In addition, Kristina chose to include female bus drivers to illustrate how women are breaking through barriers in a male dominated occupation. The final project will be assessed and exhibited at Manchester college in Northenden at the end of the course.

Talking about her project, Kristina said: “Stagecoach’s Women in Transport campaign really drew my attention and highlighted the wide range of careers available within the bus industry, from marketing and management to driving and engineering. I feel like the transport industry has a reputation for having a male dominated workforce and I wanted to illustrate how women can also thrive in this career.

“The final steps for this project involve photographing other powerful women and role models. I am hoping to photograph female firefighters, boxers and single mothers.”

Elisabeth Tasker, Stagecoach Manchester managing director, said: “The feedback we’ve received from the Women in Transport campaign from local communities, combined with the high attendance figures at each of the open days, has proved we were right to tackle the issue.

“To see Kristina now take up the subject for her own studies and be as passionate about the campaign as we are, shows that collectively we can help to positively impact the transport industry in Greater Manchester.”